Ive been wanting to wax my car for a while havent done it cuse i havent really had time(and ive been lazy)but i was wondering if anybody knew of a good wax to use.

 

Hey, if you look at the thread at the top of the page by "Detailed Image" there is alot of useful info in there..

But any how In the thread i asked about which wax to use and Detailed Image suggested this... Read the whole thing its useful and your car will come out looking AWESOME I recently purchased the wax(s) and I love it!

Lopster99 - Thanks for the positive feedback. That Mercades went under quite the transformation, I believe it was around 6 hours of just polishing and then the rest of the steps. It took around 9 hours to complete the exterior. I'm assuming your paint was not in as bad of condition as the Mercades was.

This is my routine I use when performing a show car prep on a lighter colored vehicle:

First thing I’d like to mention is investing in the proper washing and drying tools. A majority of swirls and scratches (70%+) come from using improper washing and drying products and techniques. I would suggest a sheepskin wash mitt, waffle weave drying towel(s) and a quality lubricating shampoo. The sheepskin wash mitt has the thickest pile which will pull contamination from the surface rather than pushing it around like with a sponge. The waffle weave drying towels are the safest towels to use on your paint. They are very absorbent and are safer to use than terry cloth, cotton or a chamois. Poorboy’s Super Slick & Suds is a high lubricating shampoo that helps effectively remove contamination from the surface. I’m not sure if you have these (or comparable) already, but I would suggest this Wash Kit if you are in need of some new quality wash tools and products. I'd also suggest picking up a Grit Guard Insert to use in your rinse bucket, which I encourage you to read up on the two bucket wash method if you aren't already using that. Once you go through the entire process on your vehicle, properly maintaining the finish is very important so you don’t waste all of your hard work.

After the washing and drying phase you would really benefit from using a clay bar. A clay bar will help remove contamination from the surface that didn’t get removed during the washing and drying phase. This can include both visible surface contamination and microscopic surface contamination (non-visible to naked eye). This will help properly prep the paint for the next steps of polishing and protecting. Until the end of the month we are running a special where you get a free 16oz Clay Lube with the purchase of 1 of these 4 clay bars.

We all know that its difficult to get lighter colored to pop and really jump out at you compared to a darker colored vehicle. In order to do so you have to properly prep the clear coat free of imperfections. First step would be to clay bar the surface if needed, then proceed to polish away the imperfections. The best polish I've found to reduce imperfections and finish down the furthest is Menzerna PO106ff. On most vehicles I would recommend a 2 step polish to really bring out the paint, but on lighter colored vehicles, especially ones in good condition, you can get away with 1 polish instead of two. This is a little pricey up front but comparing a coat of this to two separate coats of say a medium polish and a finishing polish, it ends up being cheaper per coat. A bottle should last you roughly 10 coats of polish if not more. I'd suggest polishing twice a year (Spring and Fall) or as needed.

One step I really like to do on lighter colored vehicles is add a glaze. A glaze will add a coat of oils and clay fillers to help hide imperfections that were not able to be buffed out. Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze works great on lighter colored vehicles. This will add another layer of depth and gloss in the paint while temporarily making the paint look like its in better condition than it really is. This step helps add that wet look to lighter colored vehicles that is often difficult to achieve.

Afterwards, be sure to follow up with your favorite sealant and/or wax. I really like the look of Poorboy's EX-P and P21s Concours Carnauba Wax

With the exception of the P21s Concours Carnauba Wax which is hand applied, you would benefit from doing the rest of the steps with a Porter Cable buffer. We have a package put together called the Advanced Porter Cable Kit which will give you everything you need to tackle any detail. This will give you the proper tools not only to save you time and energy but to give you better results.

We have step by step product directions specifically for each product here on Detailed Image's Directions Page. I also encourage you to look at our Step by Step walk thru for the entire detailing process to pick up some pointers on what each step is doing and how you will benefit from it.

I know this may be a lot to digest, so I'll be expecting some questions. That would be my ideal combination of products and techniques that I would use on prepping a silver colored show vehicle. I think it will come out stunning when done correctly.

vnv727 - Thank you for the positive feedback, we look forward to being an active member of AudiForum.com!

George @ Detailed Image

 

I use Zaino. http://zainostore.com/. the stuff works well for me and you can put up to four coats on in 24 hours with the stuff.

 

for something quick and cheap and over the counter eagle f1 nanowax. its ok stuff. i just bought some mothers california gold, i actually bought it for the claybar but they gave me some carnuba wax so ill let you know how its goes, also ive had very good results with detailer pride waxes and products.

 

check with detailed image. i used the poorboys nattys blue paste from them and its ridiculous. let me know if u wana see some pics of what it looks like. best way to get those is when im on AIM, after 5pm eastern time. the s/n is the same

 

+1 on the Zaino. Thought it was a little over priced (mainly the shipping). It looked great but I didn't notice a huge difference in appearance on the silver like you would on a dark solid
but the coolest thing aboutthe stuffwas when I went to shut the door, my fingers slipped right off the door because it was so slick and smooth. Leaves your car feeling like a baby's bottom.. sorta.

 

If you don't have the time, or the products, have a pro take care of it.

Or go & purchase all the proper tools, if you cheap out, it will cause more problems.

The minimum you NEED...
Wash bucket
2 wash mits (one for uppers, one for lowers
wheel brush
Car wash
drying towel
clay bar & lube
cleaner wax
4 microfiber towels
foam, or MF pads for the wax.

The Menzerna cleaner wax is ok, it does a ok job of cleaning, & filling. But I have never really found a great one step.

If you are down on time, Zaino will not help you much. It's a labor intensive product.

 

Who are you talking to....and what are you talking about?

 

The original topic of the post.

My point is, if you do not have the proper detailing tools, & time. Have a Pro Detailer clean & wax the car for you.

 

Even though you are probably more experienced in detailing than myself, I don't think you are the authority on Zaino. Because according to Zaino's newsletter:

Sure they are trying to sell stuff, that's obvious but I do believe you can either do it casually or thoroughly and get great results.

I seriously doubt you will have "more problems" by using a one-step approach.

There's no real reason to talk down to people just because they are not as "in to it" as yourself is there?